“Oh my god, what’s wrong with him?” a woman cried out. “Is he having a heart attack?”
“No,” came an uncertain voice. “I’ll get the doctor.”
Somebody disappeared, and the people around him rearranged themselves.
“Shane, can you hear me? Do you know who I am?”
He stared at the person. The haze started to clear. “Mom.”
She put a hand over her mouth. Her skin was thin and dull. Deep lines revealed her age, and there was hardly any makeup on her face. “Yes, my baby,” she said, her voice shaky. “Yes, it’s me.”
“Ginger…?”
“Not here,” Dane said, his face expressionless. “What were you doing at her place?”
“Needed…to talk to her.”
“Did she push you down the stairs?” Vanessa had her arms wrapped around herself like she was cold, but there was fire in her eyes.
“What?”
“They found you at the bottom of a stairwell. I don’t know why you’d use the stairs when they have an elevator in the building.”
“I decided to work off some excess energy and use the stairs. Then I slipped.”
“The dispatch said a woman called,” Vanessa insisted.
“A good Samaritan. We should give her a reward.” He made a weak waving motion. “Stop badgering me. I’m tired.”
Vanessa immediately backed down. “I’m sorry.”
Shane looked at the anxious faces of his family—minus Salazar.
Naturally. “What time is it?”
“Around five a.m.,” Mark answered.
“Jeez. Go home and get some rest. I’m fine. Just conked my head. I’ve done it before and survived. I’m sure I’ll survive this time.” He swallowed. He had to get them out of there. Immediately. “Please.”
Dane shrugged. “Let’s go. It’s not like we have the medical expertise to do anything.”
“He has a concussion. He needs us with him,” Vanessa said.
Dane looked at her, then at Shane, then back at her. “What does Barron think about you being out at this hour?”
“Barron? Who cares? Just because he’s Justin’s great uncle doesn’t mean he gets to tell me what to do.”
“And the fact that you’re carrying his heir in your belly right now…”
“Has nothing to do with anything!”
Dane cocked an eyebrow and pulled out his phone. “Let’s test that theory, shall we?”
“Argh! You are such a jerk!” Vanessa stormed out.
“Everyone, out. Let him rest in peace,” Dane said, herding everyone away from the bed and toward the door.
When he was alone, Shane closed his eyes and placed a hand over them. Everything had come back to him. How he and Ginger had met. All their amazing firsts. And the engagement…